Hanging scales are used in a wide variety of applications, for example, in truck lifts. Hanging scales can also be used in patient lifts, which are used in hospitals or care facilities to assist in the lifting of patients. Such hanging scales generally are mounted between a carrier device, e.g. a frame including a boom, and the hanging load, e.g. a cradle to which a sling, a strap, a swing, or a vest used to transport the patient is attached. By installing the hanging scale between the boom and the cradle, the patient can be efficiently lifted and weighed using the same apparatus.
When the patient enters the sling or strap, the hanging scale expands in the vertical direction, and the patient's weight can be calculated by measuring the vertical deformation. Despite this increase in efficiency, the installation of the hanging scale at the patient lift takes up vertical space and decreases the maximum height or distance over which the patient can be lifted.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved hanging scale having a decreased overall height.